Watching from the Sidelines
by Star of CCTV
Summary: Meredith needs help making her house of candles and turns to Izzie and Alex. An Izzie/Alex story with some Mer/Der


_This is just a short little thing that popped into my head. Let me know what you think. :)_

Izzie lay with her head on his chest listening to his heart beat. His tears had dried up; the last one fell over half an hour ago. He was sleeping now, emotionally and physically drained. Not that she could blame him, within the past week he had lost the baby Rebecca had convinced him she was expecting and now he had lost Rebecca.

Her fingers traced invisible patterns in his black wife beater. His arms were wrapped around her waist tightly. She wanted to move, she should not stay but Alex had always been a light sleeper, if she tried to leave he would wake up and at least asleep he might have some break from reality. She should try and get some sleep as well but somehow she knew she wouldn't. Her mind was still racing from the past week's events. She had wanted to ask Alex about his mother, she knew he had a dark past. Like her, he had a secret. She knew he had a father who abused drugs and his wife but earlier she had caught a further glimpse of Alex's past.

Closing her eyes she tried to allow the soothing noise of his breathing lull her to sleep. She liked being here for Alex, she sure owed him for the support he had given her following Denny's death. Honestly she did not know how she would have gotten over that without Alex and baking. Alex had been right about Denny, she was only hurting herself by getting involved with a patient. Her world revolved around Seattle Grace, she often wondered if things had worked out differently how Denny would have fit into this world. Since his death it became more and more glaringly obvious that she knew so little about him. She did not know if he wanted children or if he was religious or if he liked Italian food. Not that these things mattered, she'd always love Denny she just wished she had the time to ask these things.

Now Alex had also fallen for a patient, well former patient and while Rebecca had not died she had come close. Now Alex would have to let go, Rebecca's husband was going to get her the help she needed near to their home. Rebecca needed a lot of help and it was help that Alex would one day realise he could not have given.

When she had gotten home and found Alex in his room with tears streaming down his face it nearly broke her heart. She had never seen him cry before and she hoped she never would again. She wanted to comfort him and somehow they ended up kissing. It was a bad idea, a really bad idea. She wanted to kiss him but she wanted him to kiss her back and not because he saw sex as the answer to what he is going through. She wanted him to want her, like he had before. Like she wanted him now.

Suddenly Izzie's phone began ringing loudly causing both her and Alex to jump.

"Shit." She muttered as she quickly leaned over Alex and grabbed her phone off the floor where it had fallen earlier while he was kissing her. Meredith's name flashed on the screen as Izzie hit the answer button and sat back up.

"Mer?" she said breathlessly as she tried to climb out the other side of the bed only to have Alex grab her wrist and pull her back into the bed. He was awake now; she didn't need to leave the room to talk to Meredith. She watched as he closed his eyes again.

"God Izzie I need your help. I'm about to do the most stupid, embarrassing, disgusting thing."

"Meredith what are you talking about?" Izzie questioned as Alex opened his eyes.

"Derek, I'm going to fix it but I need your help, is Alex there?"

"Yes, Alex is here. What do you need help with?" Izzie asked her interest now sparked. It was about time Meredith or Derek copped on and got back together.

"Ok I need you to go to the 24 hour Target and buy about a million of those candle things that you have in your room and then bring them to Derek's land." Meredith tried to explain.

"Candles? Mer what are you doing?" Izzie asked as Alex frowned trying to make out what their conversation was about. He traced his finger along her wrist where she had a small scar from falling when she was six, she needed stitches and it was went her interest in medicine began.

"I'm building a house of candles, oh God it sounds so cheesy out loud. I want him to know I want a house with him. Do you think it will work?" Meredith's voice rang out shrilly.

"I think it's really romantic." Izzie gushed as she got off the bed and slipped on her shoes. She was still wearing her clothes from work. "Just give me half an hour and I'll be there."

"Ok come as quick as you can or I won't go through with this and I'll end up and old maid." Meredith joked nervously and hung up. Izzie slipped her phone into her pocket and turned to Alex.

"Meredith needs help getting Derek back so I'm going to go up to his land for a bit. Will you be ok here?" She asked softly.

"I'll come." He said as he pushed himself out of the bed, he didn't want Izzie going out to the woods where it was dark alone. God who was he kidding, Izzie would be fine he just didn't want to be without her right now. He did not know if their friends knew about what had happened with Rebecca or not but he knew that Izzie cared. She cared a lot. While he had been looking after Rebecca, Izzie had been looking after him. She had been watching out and she had been more aware of how serious the situation with Rebecca was then he had realised. Izzie knew the second Rebecca began faking her pregnancy that there was more to it than trying to trap Alex. He felt ashamed of the way he had treated Izzie's concerns and the way he had treated her in general, calling her a stupid bitch when she was the only one who was aware of what was really going on. One day he would apologise, one day when he was over it a little more, one day when he was not scared that the way she cared about him matched the way he cared about her.

"You don't have to; I'm sure you're tired." Izzie said as she made her way into the hall closely followed by Alex who had grabbed a jumper on his way out the door.

"I'm awake now and I kinda wanna see what Meredith has planned with all these candles." He said as he grabbed Izzie's hand and led the way out to his car. Izzie explained on the way about Meredith needing a lot of candles. In the store they argued about how many to buy but eventually decided and headed to Derek's land where they found Meredith freaking out.

No time was lost as Meredith had already marked out with sticks the shape of the house and all three of them got to work. They decided to put all the candles in their place before lighting them and soon realised that more would be needed. Alex volunteered to return to the store while Izzie and Meredith crawled on their hands and knees lighting every candle that was already in place. It was back breaking work but Izzie prayed it would all be worth it. They debated about what Meredith should say to Derek if and when he arrived. Izzie thought about telling Meredith about Rebecca and Alex but it was clear that Meredith's mind was firmly on Derek. The longer Alex was gone the more she worried, she wanted to call him and make sure he was alright but he would soon get sick of her checking up on him. She knew his pride was wounded after she saw him crying. She knew she would be stepping on egg shells for the next few weeks and therefore she knew not to push it. Before long he had returned with two boxes of candles. She could not help but smile as he walked towards his two roommates.

When they had finally finished making the house of candles all three of them stood back and looked at their handy work.

"It's corny." Meredith winged.

"It's beautiful." Izzie corrected.

"I agree with Meredith, it's corny." Alex said bluntly and then received a dig in the ribs from Izzie.

"Oh God." Meredith moaned.

"Don't mind Alex, you're not doing it for him. You're doing this incredibly beautiful thing for Derek. Derek will love it. The most romantic thing Alex can do it make a sandwich for you when you're hungry." Izzie argued causing Meredith to laugh nervously.

"I can be romantic." Alex retaliated. "I just don't want to be. Izzie's right though, this is Derek's kinda thing."

Both Alex and Izzie smiled reassuringly at Meredith and then they heard a car in the distance.

"Crap he's here." Meredith said her voice shrill with panic. "Quick go hide in the bushes, and don't watch but stay cos if he rejects me I'll need tequila."

Izzie and Alex made their way into the little forest at the side of Meredith's house of candles. Izzie continued through the trees when Alex grabbed her wrist.

"Don't you want to see what happens?" he asked.

"It's kinda their moment Alex, it would be wrong."

"Izzie it's just like watching surgery, only relationship surgery." He argued as he sat down on a fallen tree. It didn't take much to convince Izzie, he knew she was dying to see how things would go.

After a few moments Izzie's heart began to sink. "Maybe we didn't hear a car." She said as they heard Meredith shout.

"Guy's he's not coming, come out. God I can't believe I did this. Stupid, Idiotic, oh god so embarrassing. What was I thinking? Son of a bitch. I could be at home instead of, ugh."

Izzie moved to stand up and comfort her friend when Alex pulled her back closer to him and pointed at Derek Sheppard's form walking towards the house of candles.

"Look." He whispered in her ear causing shivers to run down her spine.

"Oh thank god he came." Izzie sighed in relief.

"Did you think he wouldn't?" Alex asked.

"I wasn't certain." Izzie whispered back as they heard Meredith scream "where the hell have you been?" at Derek.

"I knew he'd show up. Their meant to be together, there are some couples who are just made for each other." Alex said his eyes not leaving Izzie's. At one time he thought they were one of those couples, deep down he hoped they still could be.

Suddenly Izzie felt guilt rush through her body. Alex had just watched the woman he loved get committed and she had brought him out to watch a couple in love commit to each other. God she was stupid.

"She's screaming at him." Alex commented as his eye's returned to Derek and Meredith and the house of candles.

"Yeah, we rehearsed a speech and screaming was not part of it." Izzie said meekly as she pulled her hand out of her pocket and sucked on her index finger.

"What happened your finger?" Alex asked.

"Burnt it on a few of those candles. I didn't think making a house of candles would be so painful." Izzie admitted sheepishly. Her back ached, her finger was throbbing, she was cold and her ass was wet from the wet bark beneath her. He reached for her finger and kissed it gently.

"Any better?" he asked. Izzie just nodded in disbelief. This was not the Alex she was used too.

"Oh he's walking toward her." Izzie exclaimed as her eye's returned to the sight in front of them.

After hearing Derek describe their house as small Alex huffed. "I'd like to see try make a perfect house of candles at this time of night. Nothing is ever good enough for him is it?"

"I know," Izzie agreed. "Ungrateful bastard." She giggled as Alex smiled.

"Oh god, she's rambling about trust." Alex cringed.

"He's going to kiss her." Izzie said excitedly causing Alex to roll his eyes but he could not help but smile as Izzie's eyes lit up when Derek and Meredith kissed. It reminded him that only a few hours ago he was kissing Izzie. Really he was using Izzie, kissing her to forget about Rebecca. It was in this moment that he decided that the next time he kissed Izzie it would not be to get over Rebecca, it would be because he loved her, always had; always will but first he needed sometime. He was still angry over Rebecca.

"See told you they'd get back together." Izzie said smugly as they watched Derek and Meredith lock lips.

"Wow, I think you are the only person who thought that would happen." Alex said sarcastically.

"Shut up." Izzie said smacking him on the arm.

"Oh look he's leaving." Alex said as their attention once again turned to the candle house. After a few moments they walked out of the forest to where Meredith stood.

"It went well, I think." Meredith said breathlessly. "He wants me to wait here. Not to move."

"That's great Mer." Izzie said giving her a tight hug.

"Thank you so much for your help tonight. I own you big time." Meredith gushed.

"Yeah you do, look at Izzie's finger." Alex said pushing Izzie's hand in Meredith's face.

"It's just a little burn." Izzie said. "But a drink in Joe's tomorrow might make me forget all about it."

"Yes defiantly, I owe you two about fifty drinks." Meredith said smiling brightly.

"Right we better make ourselves scarce before McDreamy returns." Alex said as he began leading Izzie away. "Bye Mer."

"Bye guys." Meredith sang as they disappeared towards Alex's car.

"It's weird seeing Meredith so happy." Alex said as they climbed into the car.

"Yeah, but it's a good weird." Izzie said, and then nervously said "you'll be that happy one day as well."

"I know." Alex replied as he guided the car onto the open road. As Izzie played with the radio he began thinking, he wasn't ready to be with Izzie yet and she was not ready for him but some day he would show her that he could be more romantic than a making a sandwich or even a house of candles.


End file.
